Toyota Hilux Overdrive racing's Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (centre) speaks during a pre-event press conference yesterday.
Qatar's motor sport icons Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and Adel Hussein yesterday promised a fight for title glory on home soil at this week's Qatar Cross-Country Rally.
Al Attiyah, a two-time Dakar Rally winner, and Hussein, the FIA T2 world champion, will join former quad star and compatriot Mohamed Abu Issa at the four-day event that has also attracted names like Sam Sunderland and Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi.
Al Attiyah, earlier this month, suffered a horrendous crash on the final day of the 2017 Abu Dhabi Dessert Challenge to surrender the lead.
The 46-year-old Qatari appeared to be cruising to victory until he rolled his Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux heavily before the opening passage control. Despite continuing for a short while after a long delay, he retired the damaged car at PC1.
"We had that crash in Abu Dhabi last week. Such things happen in professional sport," Al Attiyah said yesterday.
"Thankfully we didn't break any bones," he added with a smile.
"But we have some muscle pain and general stiffness. I have spent 10 days in Aspetar to get proper treatment. I have been getting better and better. Yesterday I felt little bit pain but otherwise I am okay," Al Attiyah said.
"(I) just need to focus better because after the crash the battle is fought in the head. I need to be at my level quickly. I will try to take it easy at the beginning and see where we are and then we will see if we have to push," Al Attiyah said of his aims this week.
Issa, 27, said he was aiming to complete the race with a positive result as the Qatari competes in one of the Minis.
The former quad category winner lies second in the Drivers’ Championship after three rounds.
"For me it's a goof experience to compete at such rallies. You have to focus better on such terrains," Issa said during a pre-event press conference yesterday.
"Abu Dhabi is about dunes and Qatar rally is about navigation. I will once again try to get as much experience as I can so that I am ready for the next season as well," he added.
"Our quads are close to 300 kilograms so it's basically like driving a car (laughs). We can be faster when we want to be. Am still young. I am learning in what is my first year. I hope to improve every day," Issa added.
Hussein, who claimed wins in Portugal, Abu Dhabi and Spain in his first full season of cross-country competition last year, said doing well 'on home soil' was important.
"We start this year at Russian Baja. It was a great experience though we had problems in the next two races. We are looking how to push and win," Hussein said.
"It is important for me to win the race in my country as I will be driving on home soil. I will try to catch the leaders and reduce the gap between and the points leaders. There are still eight rounds to go and it is not difficult to close the gap," he said.
Hussein was quick to acknowledge the support of his sponsors as he aims to defend his title in 2017.
"I would like to say thanks to QMMF for their support for the 2017 season. Also, I thank my new sponsors Ooredoo and Nissan Qatar so that I could compete in the world championship this year. They (QMMF) have been organising this event for many years. They have been doing it well," he said.
